What is it about an alien menace that makes superheroes want to band together for life? The Justice League had the “white aliens;” the Ultimate Avengers had their shape-shifting aliens; and the gang from the New Frontier had the alien known only as “the Center.” I’m not quite sure what he was… Like so many other characters in this film, he was sadly underdeveloped.
It’s hard to make an uninteresting alien menace. It takes work to drain the character from the DCU’s finest. No doubt the film’s creative minds intended to trade personality for something a bit more realistic perhaps. Fair enough. Though for the most part, the many characters felt muted by this tactic. Admittedly, though, a few were improved… Martian Manhnuter, for example, was beautifully executed. And the Batman was, as per usual, the highlight of the film. I enjoyed his grim portrayal. He did the best he could with what little he had to work with, but in the end there just wasn’t enough substance here for the film to live up to its promise.
Weighing in at PG-13, the story suffered from a lack of humor and charm. It took itself a little too seriously. The animation, however, was great. Stylistically, it had a sharpness that combined the silver age’s clarity with the modern edge.
While I appreciate the New Frontier’s overall effort, the final product wasn’t as developed as it should have been. I feel that sequels could only help the groundwork that has been laid here, but on its own merits, this film is not up to snuff with the Justice League’s other incarnations.
